Huntsville Tourist Attractions

Huntsville City in Northern Alabama is best known for its military technology and aerospace industries; thus, it is called the Rocket City of the United States. It is also home to the largest museum in the world, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.

The city also offers several choices of attractions that tourists will surely enjoy, from historical museums to botanical gardens.

For more options on tourist attractions in Huntsville, you may visit getyourguide.com.

Here are some tourist spot recommendations in Huntsville, Alabama.

Huntsville and North Alabama: Top Museums and Park Pass

Have an enjoyable day while exploring top attraction sites in Huntsville and neighboring areas with this 1-to-5 attraction pass.

Explore the underground caves of Cathedral Caverns and Rickwood Caverns. Have a close encounter with huge wild cats at the Tigers For Tomorrow Exotic Animal Preserve. Visit the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Stroll in the beautiful gardens of Huntsville Botanical Garden and the Ave Maria Grotto.

Note that one pass is available per person and is limited to one visit per attraction site.

U.S. Space and Rocket Center

The U.S. Space and Rocket Center is the largest space museum in the world. It is operated by the government of Alabama, showcasing invented rockets, space artifacts, and achievements.

The space museum opened in 1970 after Apollo 12 landed on the moon, the second space expedition to the lunar surface. The facility exhibits Apollo Program hardware and houses interactive science displays, space shuttle exhibits, army rocketry, and aircraft.

The center also offers bus tours to the nearby Marshall Space Flight Center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA.

Two camp programs are being offered to visitors for the opportunity to stay on the grounds and learn more about spaceflight and aviation.

The U.S. Space Camp gives in-depth discussions about the space program through simulators, lectures, and training exercises. They also offer an Aviation Challenge that gives visitors an experience of military fighter pilot training. These camps provide residential and day camp educational programs for children and adults.

The space center is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

For further details tourists may contact them at +1 800 637 7223 or +1 256 837 3400.

Intuitive Planetarium

The Intuitive Planetarium in the U.S. Space and Rocket Center offers a state-of-the-art digital dome experience.

This 8K digital planetarium theater has 248 comfortable seats that give every guest a surreal and memorable experience. The facility’s interior is composed of an exciting space-themed lobby and a variety of offerings for food and beverage.

The projection system features five Christie laser projectors creating an exquisite theater experience.

This immersive digital dome planetarium highlights educational astronomy shows, live entertainment, and a thrilling theater experience.

The Intuitive Planetarium is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

For tickets and admission information, contact them at +1 800 637 7223 or +1 256 837 3400.

The Huntsville Museum of Art

The Huntsville Museum of Art (HMA) is situated in Big Spring Park within the downtown area. It was officially established on August 13, 1970, by the City of Huntsville through an ordinance approved by the Museum Board of the City. It is also a member of the North American Reciprocal Museums program.

The museum opened to the public for its first exhibition in 1973 and later moved to its permanent facility at the Von Braun Center in 1975.

In 2010, the museum expanded along with Davidson Center, including seven new galleries, four special event facilities, and a parking lot.

HMA is also a venue for special events such as weddings, receptions, meetings, and many more.

The museum also engages in interactive activities through in-depth discussions and presentations, initiating family programs, and having art classes and workshops.

The Weeden House Museum

The Weeden House was built in 1819 and is now open to the public as the Weeden House Museum and Garden.

In 1845, Dr. William Weeden bought the house inherited and owned by his descendants until 1956.

Earlier inhabitants were John McKinley, who lived in the house from 1824 to 1827; Banker and planter Bartley M. Lowe, the first president of Huntsville Bank; and the Weeden family from 1845 to 1956, except during the civil war when the house served as the living quarters of Federal officers.

The house is now owned and managed by the City of Huntsville. It is leased by the Twickenham Historic Preservation District Association to maintain its structure as a 19th-century house museum.

Burritt on the Mountain

The Burritt on the Mountain is an open-air museum in Huntsville, Alabama, situated on top of a plateau connected to Monte Sano Mountain. It is where the estate of a local physician, William Burritt, donated his mansion and land properties to the city government upon his death in 1955 to establish a museum.

The Burritt museum exhibits 19th-century buildings such as the Balch House, the Chandler House, a dogtrot house, an 1884 church, the Meals House, an 1845 cabin, the Smith-Williams House, two 1840s structures from McKay Hollow, and an 1890s barn.

The Burritt museum features two buildings on the National Register of Historic Places; the Burritt Mansion and the Joel Eddins House.

The park is divided into two areas: the 1850 structures and 1900s are separated, including buildings, furniture, and equipment from each period.

Twelve 19th-century structures have been restored and are part of the museum exhibit.

The Early Works Children's Museum

The Early Works Children’s Museum offers hands-on and interactive activities for children.

Let your children explore as they touch, climb, and pull, enjoying a day of fun-filled playtime.

Children ages 2 to 9 will indeed have fun at the museum.

The facility has Toddlers’ Biscuit’s Backyard, a touch-and-learn section for preschoolers.

Most adults and kids ages ten and up will prefer the Huntsville Historic Depot and Museum or Constitution Hall Park and Museum.

The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and every Sunday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The admission rate for toddlers is $5.00, $10.00 for the youth ages 4 to 17 and Senior citizens ages 55 and older, and $12.00 for Adults.

Huntsville Botanical Garden

The Huntsville Botanical Garden contains various ecosystems, from grassy meadows to woodland walkways, aquatic habitats, and creatures to beautiful floral collections.

Visitors can stroll along the trails while admiring environmental collections of Alabama’s native flowering plants. Children can also play freely in the Garden and with the fluttering butterflies in the nation’s largest open-air butterfly house.

Find serenity under the cool shade of trees, surrounded by the sounds of nature with exhibits and programs throughout the year. The Garden is a source of plant conservation, education, and celebration for all, especially for Huntsville residents.

The Garden also provides various open-air and indoor spaces for special events such as graduations, showers, and birthday and anniversary parties.

Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is set out to be the largest golf course construction project. It is a collection of golf courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., distributed across the Alabama state as part of investments by the Retirement Systems of Alabama.

The golf course started with 378 holes at eight designated sites throughout the state, but now it has grown to 468 spots at eleven locations.

This idea was created and implemented by David G. Bronner, the Chief Executive Officer of the Retirement Systems of Alabama. He aims to diversify the asset of the state’s pension fund effectively and economically to help the Alabama state.

U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum

The U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum is one of the premier military museums in the United States. It is now operated by the Alabama Center of Military History Incorporated, a non-profit educational institution for preserving historical facts, public exhibits, and public education.

The museum aims to promote and spread the accomplishments of American military men and women, especially those who participated during World War I and other conflicts.

The facility also wants the public to reminisce about the hardships and sacrifices that American soldiers went through.

The Alabama House of Representatives designated the museum as the State of Alabama Veterans Memorial Museum, exhibiting more than 30 historical military vehicles from World War I to the present. There are also tableaus, artifacts, paraphernalia, and memorabilia displayed relating to the Revolutionary War.

Huntsville Nightlife

Huntsville offers various exciting social scenes with the city’s convenience of intimate social ties within the community. From its live music at Stovehouse, variety of entertainment options at MidCity, the one-of-a-kind setting at Campus No. 805, or the hustling busy streets of the picturesque Downtown Huntsville square. There are several choices in the metro’s highlighted night owls.

The nightlife of Rocket City is incredibly alive, from quiet lounges to resounding bars with lively and talented cover bands rocking the stage to the upbeat music rhythm of dance clubs.

Huntsville won’t let you down with its craft beer enthusiasm that has contributed to a great collection of breweries and beer pubs. Most offer live band, nearby food truck cuisine, and high-quality crafted beverages.

Downtown Huntsville Craft Beer Trail

Huntsville is known for its booming craft brew business, with dozens of unique beers only accessible and within easy reach in the city.

Downtown Huntsville, Incorporated, organizes the Downtown Huntsville Craft Beer Trail. The organizer will provide a local guide to lead visitors to find those uniquely crafted beer flavors in Huntsville.

The first stop will be at the Huntsville/Madison County Visitor Center to pick up a pass with a list and map of all the locations on the trail. The card is separated into the Craft Breweries and the Local Beer Stores.

Joiners in this tour must get their “Trail Card” stamped at the locations to get a free bottle opener.